Summary
- Zelda games like Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask have strong horror elements, such as the terrifying moon.
- A horror spin-off could expand Zelda’s potential and explore bold new territory in psychological horror.
- Darker, atmospheric moments in past Zelda games hint at an appetite for deeper horror elements in the franchise.
When it comes to the horror genre, atmospheric tension and deep, cryptic storytelling are arguably its most important elements. Horror games that rely too heavily on jump scares to foster a fear-soaked environment often fail to offer a truly authentic horror experience and ultimately cheapen it in the long run. That’s why it’s strange that The Legend of Zelda has yet to produce a genuine horror game, as it has been known to dip into the most essential characteristics of the genre and would be a perfect fit for it on account of that.
It might be difficult to justify launching a mainline Legend of Zelda horror game, as Nintendo would risk alienating the series’ core audience and newcomers alike. However, a Zelda horror spin-off could be a great move for the franchise to make, albeit a bold one, as it would finally embrace what it has long sprinkled into its stories and worlds throughout its nearly four-decade-long lifespan.
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Why The Legend of Zelda Is Perfect for a Horror Game Spin-Off
The Legend of Zelda Has Long Had Horror Elements
If there’s one thing that’s true of The Legend of Zelda, it’s that the series is no stranger to horror elements. Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask, especially, are two entries that both have notable emphases on horror. The terrifying moon from Majora’s Mask is known for instilling an apocalyptic dread in players, for one thing, to the point that many of those who grew up playing the game still point to it as one of their most horrific gaming memories. If that weren’t enough, Link screams each time he puts on one of the three main transformation masks, clutching his face as if in pain, his body contorts, and eerie, almost agonized noises accompany the transformation.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a more recent entry in the series to include elements of horror, with its Depths offering players a world of endless darkness to traverse, where the encounters are as unpredictable as the ground beneath Link’s next step. The initial portrayal of the Demon King in Tears of the Kingdom is another example of the series’ horror potential, as a mummified corpse comes to life, complete with crackling bones and a spine-tingling voice emitting from the character.
A Horror Spin-Off Could Expand the Franchise in a Unique Way
Despite the fact that the Legend of Zelda series has had elements of horror and even leaned quite heavily into the genre, it has never actually had a proper horror game. As horrific as an entry like Majora’s Mask is, it still isn’t technically a horror game. However, installments like it and the series’ prevalent horror elements show its potential to do a full dive into the genre for an unconventional spin-off that could stretch the boundaries of the franchise’s potential and explore bold new territory.
Historically, Nintendo has done its best to innovate on The Legend of Zelda as much as possible without abandoning the series’ identity, and games like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are great examples of that. These two entries, in particular, showed The Legend of Zelda‘s ability to redefine itself with major changes to its gameplay, story, and exploration, so a full-fledged horror spin-off isn’t entirely out of the question. Instead of traditional adventure mechanics, a Zelda horror spin-off could really lean into psychological horror, perhaps limited resources, and more immersive environmental and atmospheric storytelling to increase tension.
The terrifying moon from Majora’s Mask is known for instilling an apocalyptic dread in players, for one thing, to the point that many of those who grew up playing the game still point to it as one of their most horrific gaming memories.
While Nintendo has always been careful to balance innovation with accessibility in The Legend of Zelda, the popularity of darker, more atmospheric moments in past titles suggests that there’s an appetite for a deeper dive into horror. A dedicated horror Zelda spin-off could subvert expectations, offering an experience that still feels like Zelda while exploring psychological tension, environmental storytelling, and resource-based survival mechanics in a way the franchise has only hinted at before in games like Tears of the Kingdom and Majora’s Mask.
- Released
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September 26, 2024
- ESRB
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E10+ For Everyone 10+
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo